“Hello, I’m Marsha Blackburn. I’m speaking to you today as the representative of Tennessee’s 7th District. And I’m also speaking with you as a mother and as a grandmother…as someone who, like you, considers our children our nearest and dearest treasure.

We have all been so shocked and outraged by the videos portraying the grisly practices of Planned Parenthood. These videos show abortions being altered so as to maximize the harvesting and resale of organs and body parts. It really is sickening.

Today I want to outline for you what we’re doing to hold this organization and other abortion providers accountable, and defend our unborn children and the values that we all hold dear.

First, to get answers for the American people, we are significantly ramping up our oversight and investigative practices. We will move to establish a new select subcommittee that will focus its full attention, resources, and subpoena power on getting to the bottom of these horrific practices.

Second, to protect unborn children, we will pass additional pro-life measures. Already, the House has voted to ban abortions from the point at which babies begin to feel pain. We will continue to do more and put these bills on the president’s desk.

Third, to protect all taxpayers, we will redouble our efforts to ensure that you are not forced to fund this organization. Twice now – twice – Senate Democrats have blocked our efforts to restrict funding to Planned Parenthood. They defend the organization and its practices even though they freely admit they haven’t watched the videos. That’s wrong. So we are activating the reconciliation process, which will allow us to break Senate Democrats’ logjam and get this bill to the president’s desk.

I know this is difficult to talk about, and it should be. But on these videos, they haggle over prices. They casually sift through body parts. These are some of the most abhorrent, inhumane things imaginable, and they do it all as if it is just routine – an expected part of doing business.

Planned Parenthood aborts more than 300,000 babies each and every year. That’s 300,000 babies that could be adopted into loving homes, babies that could go on to become some of the greatest contributions to our society. These babies, if given their shot at life could have gone on to lead our nation, cure diseases, have enjoyed a full life.

For too long, the left has masked these practices and dismissed them as reproductive rights. However, there are more fundamental rights: life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. It is not by accident the Founding Fathers prioritized life as the first right.

This past week, the nation experienced a historic moment when Pope Francis addressed the Joint Session of Congress. The Pope said, ‘the golden rule also reminds us of our responsibility to protect and defend human life at every stage of development.’

The Pope’s words have strengthened our resolve to continue the fight for the protection of human life.”